Trustees approve deputy — with caveat

Ramona Unified School District trustees approved the county’s offer of a sheriff’s deputy at the schools with the caveat that in future years the district would be responsible for no more than 50 percent of the cost.

In a 2-3 vote, trustees initially rejected a motion to accept the county proposal as presented, with Dawn Perfect and Kim Lasley voting yes and Rodger Dohm, John Rajcic and Bob Stoody dissenting.

The proposal, as presented to trustees, called for the county to have a sheriff’s deputy based at Ramona High School and available for other schools in the district at no cost to the district through June 2016. After that, cost-sharing would be negotiated.

“There will be negotiations for future years,” said Superintendent Robert Graeff, Ed.D. “That’s a sticking point for many.”

In his most recent discussions with the county, the cost-sharing would be a 50-50 split, Graeff told trustees during their Nov. 19 board meeting.

“It would not be a 100 percent district cost,” he said.

If that is the case, “write it down,” said trustee Bob Stoody.

Stoody said that, during the district’s original discussion with the county, he didn’t anticipate the district paying anything in subsequent years.

“That’s correct,” said Graeff. “…I didn’t anticipate having to pay any money.”

“I do trust the intentions of our supervisors, particularly Dianne Jacob,” who is a former school board member in Jamul, said Perfect, board president.

Some horrific things have happened at schools across the nation, and “if that officer or police car in the parking lot is a deterrent, I think it’s worth it,” said Perfect.

The officer also could work with the district’s security workers, who have limited training, added Perfect.

“This is all assumptions,” said Stoody. “If Dianne Jacob wants to give 50/50, write it down.”

“Can we say yes, pending an MOU (memorandum of understanding) that is more specific?” asked Lasley.

The year is almost half gone, said Lasley, suggesting that the first 12 months of the agreement be free to the district, with the district paying 50 percent the next year. Discussion did not include what the cost would be.

“If we’re able to determine that isn’t what we need, we can stop,” Lasley said. “If we have the opportunity to do this on our campus, why not?”

If the board approves a deputy and then has to cut the program due to expense, “imagine the meeting,” said Stoody.

“Think about any time we try to cut a program,” he said. “You would be cutting safety.”

“I’d like to see an MOU that’s very clear, that says exactly what they mean,” said trustee Rodger Dohm.

Dohm, who teaches at Poway High School, said there is a deputy on that campus who is helpful but who is not at the school 100 percent of the time.

“What we’re doing is looking at providing a new service (that is) not an employee of ours,” said Dohm. “…Whose jurisdiction is this really? It’s the sheriff’s department. It’s not our responsibility or jurisdiction. Our responsibility is educating the students…It should be completely paid by them. It’s their jurisdiction.”

As part of the county’s School Safety Initiative, county supervisors on Sept. 29 authorized providing a school resource officer through June 2016 and negotiating cost-sharing for future school years.

Rajcic questioned the officer’s role in the schools and the line between a teacher’s responsibility and the officer’s.

“If the teacher has a problem, call the cop,” he said.

“That’s not allowed,” Graeff said.

“That’s going to happen,” said Rajcic.

According to the proposal, the officer “will provide supplemental law enforcement and proactive enforcement of the Education Code in excess of basic level of services customarily provided by the county through the sheriff.” The district would reimburse the sheriff’s department for additional services and special events such as football games, student dances and other district-sponsored extracurricular activities.

Among the officer’s duties would be community relations and campus protection, not student supervision and discipline, states the proposal. Under community relations, the proposal states that the officer would participate in “positive student activities in the community in order to build trusting and respectful relationships with students, families and staff.” The deputy would collaborate with school-based community organizations, parent-teacher organizations, and student government “to develop opportunities for positive activities, such as mentoring programs, community coalitions or task forces.”

Four school principals at the meeting — Dave Lohman, Chris King, Kathryn Gunderson and Melissa Cobian — supported the proposal as presented.

Pointing to a high school student in the audience, Lohman, Montecito High principal, asked, “What message is she going to take back to the school?”

While Lohman said he “can take care of business,” he added, “it’s a nice feeling to have that backup…I don’t care what it cost.”

King, Ramona High principal, said he’s worked with school resource officers at other schools.

“It demystifies what police officers are for kids,” said King. “...I feel safer having an armed officer on campus.”

“There are a lot of police officers in my family,” said Dohm, adding that, while he supports having an officer on campus, “I can’t support this agreement. It leaves us open to a can of worms.”

During additional discussion among the trustees, Rajcic left the meeting after receiving word that a family member who has been ill needed him at home.

To conclude the discussion, Perfect asked if the trustees could accept the agreement if in subsequent years the district’s cost would be no more than 50 percent.

Stoody made that motion, and Dohm seconded it. It passed 4-0.

After the meeting, Dohm said, “the discussion wasn’t do we need it or not? It was the contract that was the issue…We all want a sheriff’s officer. It was supposed to be free and now we have to pay. That takes away a teacher…The money for the schools is for the education of the students.”

Graeff reported Tuesday that he has communicated with the commander in charge of the sheriff’s school resource officer project via email in hopes of getting new language to satisfy the school board’s request.